Containers are used to store many types of items, such as foodstuffs, medicine, or numerous other types of materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,406 (Urciuoli) discloses a container comprising a receptacle and a lid combination which are formed of thermoformed plastic such as pPVC (polyvinyl chloride), PS (polystyrene), or PET (polyethylene). The receptacle and the lid have sections thereof which nest intimately together to form a seal. The receptacle includes a frangible portion which breaks when the lid is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,680 (Boback et al.) discloses a tamper-resistant container with tamper-evident features which includes a cover portion defining a outwardly extending peripheral flange, a base portion defining an upper peripheral edge, a hinge joining the outwardly extending peripheral flange with the base portion and an engagement mechanism for maintaining the peripheral flange adjacent to the upper peripheral edge when the container is closed. The upper peripheral edge includes an upwardly projecting bead extending substantially about the perimeter of the base portion that is configured to render the outwardly extending flange of the cover portion relatively inaccessible when the container is closed. The hinge includes a frangible section, which upon severing, provides a projection that extends out beyond the upwardly projecting bead of the upper peripheral edge of the base portion, for facilitating the disengagement of the engagement mechanism and removal of the cover portion from the base portion to open the container.
United States Published Application No. 2007/0138180 (Vovan) discloses a container which includes a base that can hold food and a lid that closes on the base, which clearly indicates if the lid has been opened after a clerk loaded food into the base and closed the lid. The base and lid each have trapping portions and pull-open portions with a tear-tab, or tear-open barrier. To close the lid, a clerk projects a tab on the pull-open portion of the lid through a slot in the pull-open portion of the base, and then presses down the entire trapping portion of the lid into the trapping portion of the base. The lid cannot be lifted up because the tear-open barrier forming the top wall of the slot lies over the tab. To open the container, a person must tear the barrier so he/she can pull up the tab and open the lid. The fact that the barrier has been torn is designed to be obvious.